# US 10,480,251 B2 · Expandable downhole tool assemblies, bottom-hole assemblies, and related methods

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- Number: US 10,480,251 B2
- Document ID: US10480251B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/049,166
- Filed: 2018-07-30
- Published: 2018-11-22
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2013-03-04
- Assignees: Baker Hughes, A Ge Company, LLC
- Applicants: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
- Inventors: Steven R. Radford; Marcus Oesterberg; Khoi Q. Trinh; Timothy Miller; Shyam Anandampillai; Chad T. Jurica; Wolfgang E. Herberg; Carsten Haubold; Christopher Jakubeit; Michael Wiegmann; Jens Behnsen; Hans-Juergen Faber
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480251B2

## CPC

- E21B 10/322: {cutter shifted by fluid pressure (E21B10/345 takes precedence)}
- E21B 44/00: Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions
- E21B 47/12: Means for transmitting measuring-signals or control signals from the well to the surface, or from the surface to the well, e.g. for logging while drilling
- E21B 47/13: by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

## Abstract

Expandable reamer assemblies include an expandable reamer module and an activation module. An outer tubular body of the activation module is rigidly coupled to a tubular body of the expandable reamer module, and an activation member of the activation module is coupled to a sleeve of the expandable reamer module, the sleeve coupled to at least one blade and configured to move the at least one blade into an extended position. The sleeve moves axially responsive to axial movement of the activation member. Bottom-hole assemblies include an expandable reamer module and an activation module. The activation module is coupled to the expandable reamer module and configured to provide a motive force to the sleeve to move the sleeve opposite a direction of flow of drilling fluid. Methods of using expandable reamer modules include pairing two substantially identical expandable reamer modules and two respective different activation modules.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An expandable downhole tool assembly for use in a subterranean borehole, the downhole tool assembly comprising:
an expandable tool module comprising:
at least one blade configured as a reamer blade or a stabilizer blade, carried by a tool body and mounted to move between a retracted position and an extended position; and
a drive element disposed within the tool body and coupled to the at least one blade, the drive element configured to axially move relative to the tool body to move the at least one blade into the extended position;
an activation module coupled to the expandable tool module and comprising:
an activation member coupled to the drive element and operable to axially move the drive element with respect to the activation module responsive to movement of the activation member; and
wherein the expandable tool module is a slave unit configured to not be activated without the activation module.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The expandable downhole tool assembly of claim 1, wherein the activation module comprises an electronic and hydraulic activation module configured to receive a signal and respond to the signal by causing hydraulic fluid to move the activation member between an activated position and a deactivated position.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The expandable downhole tool assembly of claim 1, wherein the activation module comprises a mechanical activation module configured to be activated without use of an electrical signal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The expandable downhole tool assembly of claim 1, wherein the activation module is configured to move the drive element between an activated position and a deactivated position repeatedly.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The expandable downhole tool assembly of claim 1, the expandable reamer module further comprising a yoke coupled to the drive element, wherein the yoke comprises a surface proximate the at least one blade, the surface extending at an angle to the longitudinal axis toward the at least one blade.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The expandable downhole tool assembly of claim 1, the expandable tool module further comprising at least one nozzle extending through the tool body in communication with a bore of the body.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The expandable downhole tool assembly of claim 6, wherein the drive element comprises a sleeve having at least one hole extending through a sidewall thereof, and wherein the at least one hole is configured to provide continuous drilling fluid flow from the bore through the sleeve and the at least one nozzle.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The expandable downhole tool assembly of claim 7, wherein the sleeve is configured to provide a lower rate of drilling fluid flow when the sleeve is in a deactivated position compared to an activated position.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The expandable downhole tool assembly of claim 1, further comprising a joint structure joining the drive element of the expandable reamer module to the activation member of the activation module, the joint structure configured to transmit a motive force from the activation module to the drive element.

### Claim 10

A bottom-hole assembly, comprising:
an expandable tool module comprising a body, at least one blade configured as a reamer blade or a stabilizer blade, and a drive element coupled to the at least one blade, wherein axial movement of the drive element within the body will result in movement of the at least one blade; and
an activation module comprising another body coupled to the body and an activation member coupled to the drive element, the activation member configured to pull the drive element into an activated position to move the at least one blade into an expanded position and to push the drive element into a deactivated position to move the at least one blade into a retracted position;
wherein the expandable tool module is a slave unit configured to not be activated without the activation module.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The bottom-hole assembly of claim 10, further comprising a pilot bit coupled to the expandable tool module.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The bottom-hole assembly of claim 11, wherein the pilot bit is coupled to the expandable tool module by a linking module.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The bottom-hole assembly of claim 10, wherein the expandable tool module lacks any mechanism configured to provide motive force to axially move the drive element between the activated position and the deactivated position.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The bottom-hole assembly of claim 10, wherein the activation member is configured to pull the drive element into the activated position and to push the drive element into the deactivated position repeatedly.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The bottom-hole assembly of claim 10, wherein the activation module comprises an electronic and hydraulic activation module configured to receive a signal and respond to the signal by causing hydraulic fluid to move the activation member between the activated position and the deactivated position.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The bottom-hole assembly of claim 10, wherein the activation module comprises a mechanical activation module configured to be activated without use of an electrical signal.

### Claim 17

A method of using an expandable tool assembly, the method comprising:
coupling a body of an expandable tool module to a body of an activation module wherein the expandable tool module is a slave unit configured to not be activated without the activation module;
disposing the expandable tool module and the activation module in a borehole of a subterranean formation;
pulling, with the activation module, an axially movable drive element at least partially within the body of the expandable tool module to engage at least one blade of the expandable tool module with the subterranean formation; and
reaming the borehole with the at least one engaged blade or stabilizing the expandable tool assembly in the borehole with the at least one engaged blade.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein pulling, with the activation module, the axially movable drive element comprises activating the activation module with a first activation apparatus, and
further comprising:
removing the expandable tool module and the activation module from the borehole of the subterranean formation;
uncoupling the expandable tool module from the activation module; and
coupling the expandable tool module to another, different activation module comprising a second activation apparatus different from the first activation means;
wherein one of the first activation apparatus and the second activation apparatus comprises an electronic and hydraulic activation module and another of the first and second activation means comprises a mechanical activation module.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein coupling the body of the expandable tool module to the body of the activation module further comprises joining the axially movable drive element to a first longitudinal end of a joint structure and an activation member of the activation module to a second longitudinal end of the joint structure.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising:
pushing, with the activation module, the axially movable drive element to disengage the at least one blade from the subterranean formation; and
repeating at least once the pulling, with the activation module, the axially movable drive element to engage the at least one blade with the subterranean formation and the pushing, with the activation module, the axially movable drive element to disengage the at least one blade from the subterranean formation.